He Seattle Seahawks regular season close it’s been so good that it’s reminded us how dangerous Pete Carroll’s picture is in the playoffs. With a functional defense and an offense commanded by QB Russell Wilson, the 2020 NFC West champion could be that rival no NFC team wants to face in the postseason.
Here are the three reasons why no one wants to face the Seahawks in the playoffs:
1. The defense is already what we expected
The first eight games of the season were so bad on defense that it was not only the worst in the league statistically, but it was on pace to allow the most yards per game in a season. However, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. made a tremendous adjustment for the second half of it and now he is performing according to the talent he has.
Currently, Seattle’s defense has 43 sacks (sixth-most in the league; nine fewer than most) and the fifth-best defense against rushing (96.2 yards allowed per game). Added to that, in the last seven games they have allowed an average of 203 passing yards per engagement and only 15 points.
Of those seven games in which he has posted such numbers, he faced offenses that rank in the top seven in the NFL in total yards per game three times. Defenses win championships and the Seahawks are a pretty good team, and this defense they have today has that caliber.
The #Seahawks defensive turnaround has been remarkable. 43 Sacks and a Top 5 Run Defense plus over the Last 7 games:
-203yds passing per game
– 15 points per game????????????
— Jake Heaps (@jtheaps9) December 29, 2020
2. Team full of playmakers
Something that makes the difference in a team is the number of stars, playmakers and game-changers you have on your roster. Those who are able to make a difference to ultimately drive to a victory and the Seahawks have many of this profile.
On the offensive:
Russell Wilson – QB
- 4,031 yards (8th in the NFL)
- 38 TD per pass (second)
We know what Wilson is capable of game by game. It is true that his current level is not from the beginning of the season when he saw himself as the imminent MVP, but he is still the quarterback who extends each play and achieves the unexpected (especially in important moments). In deep passes, nobody throws better than him in the NFL.
Chris Carson / Carlos Hyde / Rashaad Penny – RB
- 1,008 combined rushing yards
- 9 TD and total
Carson and Hyde, who missed a few games in 2020, are the backfield leaders. The rotation generated by the different styles of running the ball help make Seattle’s offense unpredictable and have more opportunities to advance. Joining them, Penny returned at the best of times to give him a punch extra to what is currently the 11th-best rushing offense in the league.
D.K. Metcalf / Tyler Lockett / David Moore – WR
- 2 658 yards combined
- 24 TD totales
One of the best catching trios in the league. Metcalf is currently sixth in the NFL in receiving yards and TDs scored, which shows the threat he is in addition to how explosive and physical we know of him. Lockett is a lethal weapon in deep passes who knows how to separate from defenders to gain yards and Moore is the ideal WR3 for Russell Wilson, being special for long plays and in the red zone.
On the defensive:
Carlos Dunlap – DE
- 7 games with Seattle
- 5 sacks
- 6 tackles for loss of yards
- 12 hits to the QB
- 1 pass defended
The best trade during the 2020 Season was made by the Seahawks. Acquiring Dunlap mid-season was a brutal drive for him to improve his defense. He’s made a difference in two games by securing Seattle’s victory in Week 11 and Week 15 with sacks of QBs Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins, respectively. The hero of the last minutes.
Bobby Wagner / K.J. Wright / Jordyn Brooks – LB
- 263 combined tackles
- 5 total captures
- 1 INT
Currently in the NFL there is no defense with a 4-3 scheme that has a better linebacker line than the Seahawks. Wagner remains the best middle LB in the league, while Wright has put up a Top 10 season at his position. Finally, rookie Brooks has earned the starting job and shows why he was a first-round pick in 2020.
Jamal Adams – SS
- 80 tackleadas
- 9.5 sacks (record for one DB in one season)
He was worth every pick the Seahawks acquired for him when they traded with the Jets. It is that defender that makes the difference in each play with the role he has taken on defense, because charging against the QB and reading the short plays he becomes a threat. Few can change the course of a match like him on defense.
Honorable mentions:
- Shaquill Griffin – CB
- Quandre Diggs – FS
3. Pete Carroll’s experience – Russell Wilson in the playoffs
In the nine seasons the Seahawks have played with Pete Carroll as head coach and QB Russell Wilson, Seattle records:
- 9 seasons with winning record
- 8 passes to the playoffs
- 5 NFC West titles
- 2 passes to the Super Bowl
- 1 Super Bowl title
- Wilson – Only QB in history with a winning record in his first nine NFL seasons
That data indicates how powerful these two have been as a duo on the Seahawks. They know the playoffs, they’ve overcome all kinds of adversity in the postseason, and they’ve made epic comebacks. This experience they accumulate makes them a threat in January that definitely no one wants to face.
Do you think the Seattle Seahawks can make it to Super Bowl LV? We read you in the comments.
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